


For When I Was Hungry

by MilesHibernus



Category: Slow Show - mia_ugly
Genre: 1.03 What We Are in the Dark, Gen, In-universe fic, The Generic Inn Room, Warlock the TV Show (Slow Show), mia_ugly's Slow Show Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:41:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21813094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MilesHibernus/pseuds/MilesHibernus
Summary: Three fugitives and a baby.  A hungry baby.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 40
Collections: Ixnael’s Recommendations, Ixnael’s SFW corner, Slow Show Metaverse, Warlock fic





	For When I Was Hungry

Two weeks after being chased out of Penburleigh, they trudged into Bywater. It was a substantial town, prosperous and busy. On the one hand that was good; they were anonymous in the crowds and had more than one inn to choose from.

On the other, they’d managed to arrive on the second day of a week-long horse fair and they tried three inns that were full to the rafters before the fourth had a room. _A_ room, a tiny thing no larger than something above a village tavern, and it cost every farthing of their remaining coin.

William knelt at the hearth, the room’s only luxury, and assembled a fire. Behind him, Julia laid Joshua down on the narrow bed and wiggled her fingers at him. The baby continued to fuss.

“Can’t you shut him up?” Erasmus snapped, from where he perched on a stool like a red-headed heron. William felt his lips tighten in disapproval. The mercenary had been in a foul mood for the last three days but there was no call for taking it out on Julia.

“No I can’t,” said Julia, in the voice people used to talk to babies. She sat up straight and slung her bag into her lap. “He’s too hungry, isn’t he? Yes, he is.”

“So feed him.”

“Oh, why didn’t I think of that?” said Julia, still lilting, as she pulled out the little waterskin she’d dedicated to goat’s milk. “It’s just another minute, my sweet, my darling dear, my little robin.” Joshua didn’t sound soothed; if anything his cries were creeping in the direction William knew meant full-fledged wailing was on its way. He grimaced. Of course, Joshua was a baby and sometimes babies cried, it was just that the cries drilled into the ear like arrows.

Julia pulled the stopper from the waterskin and recoiled. William stopped what he was doing. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s gone off,” said Julia in her normal voice. “I _knew_ it wasn’t fresh. I hope that woman gets boils.”

“We could ask in the kitchen,” said William hesitantly.

“I did, while you were haggling for the room,” Julia told him grimly. “They don’t have anything that will suit. He’s not old enough to be weaned, not quite.”

William’s heart sank. “And we don’t have the coin to buy anything else.” Quite aside from that, it was dusk already and few enough people were willing to do business at night. Joshua chose that moment to let out an experimental sob.

“Right, well then, I’m going out,” said Erasmus. William put down the kindling he was holding and turned on his knee.

“Don’t you think that’s a bit risky?”

“Don’t you think that’s a bit risky,” Erasmus parroted, imitating William’s accent. “No, priest, I don’t, or I wouldn’t be doing it.”

Stung, William’s voice went sharp. “You’ve agreed to help us in return for payment. That makes us your employers.” Joshua started to cry in earnest and Julia picked him up to cradle him in her arms.

Erasmus stopped with his hand on the door latch and half-turned. “And there’s been no sign of any payment, has there? You’ve got nary a penny. Seems to me that means I can do as I like.”

William stood with some little difficulty; his knees were not what they had been. “I cannot believe you’re going to risk giving us away in pursuit of some—some debauchery!” He just stopped himself from actually stomping his foot.

Erasmus’ eyes went dark and hooded. “Debauchery.”

“It means—”

“I know what it meanss,” said Erasmus, forcing the sibilant sound through clenched teeth. “How many timess would you all have been _dead_ without me?” He yanked the door open and disappeared through it.

William stood and listened to the sound of his boot heels on the narrow stairs. Over Joshua’s head, Julia said dryly, “That went well.”

* * *

Three hours later, Joshua had finally cried himself into sniffling exhaustion. Julia dozed on the cot; William sat on the stool and leant back against the wall to better hold the baby against his chest. He’d gotten the hang of that, finally; it wasn’t as if his former life had often required the skill.

Footsteps came up the stairs. William started to tense up and then realised he recognized them: Erasmus. The mercenary knocked and said, “It’s me” before opening the door.

William glared at him as he stepped into the room. The careful braid in Erasmus’ hair had loosened, and his lower lip looked swollen as if he’d been hit. “Where have you been?” William demanded—though not too loudly, lest he disturb the sleepers. He didn’t think he could take another three hours of wailing.

“Debauching myself,” said Erasmus curtly. “Give me the kid.”

“What for?”

Erasmus held up another waterskin. “So I can feed him, priest. Hand him over.”

William blinked in surprise. “You can—what?”

“You’re not stupid and your hearing’s fine,” said Erasmus. He took the two long strides necessary to reach William’s side and held out his arms. Stunned, William passed the baby over. Erasmus went to the cot and opened Julia’s bag, extracting the clean rag that sat near the top.

And then he sat at the foot of the bed and proceeded to coax Joshua into enough wakefulness to be fed.

William felt heat rising in his cheeks and turned to the fire to hide it. He’d rarely felt so ashamed. Yes, Erasmus had joined them for the promise of money, but he’d said himself that they didn’t have any—and here he still was.

“I’m sorry,” said William.

Erasmus looked up. “Whassat?”

“I’m sorry,” William repeated, a little louder. “I misjudged you, and I’m truly sorry.” He busied himself adjusting the banked coals. “It’s very kind of you.”

“Shut it,” said Erasmus, in the tone that William had already learnt went with rolled eyes. “Can’t let the kid starve to death when we’ve gone to all this trouble.”

“Of course,” said William. If the man didn’t want to be thanked, William wouldn’t thank him. Aloud. Instead, he’d add Erasmus to his prayers. “Where did you—”

“I didn’t steal it, and I didn’t hurt anyone,” Erasmus said in a tone of finality. “No, no, none of that. You’ve got to eat.” This last part was directed at the baby, who had turned his head away from the rag.

The light of the fire, low and ruddy, made Erasmus seem to glow where he sat. William just stared, unable to look away, for long enough that Erasmus glanced at him, one eyebrow raised. “I’m—going to sleep,” William stuttered, hoping his voice didn’t sound as odd to Erasmus as it did to himself.

“You don’t need my permission,” said Erasmus, turning back to his task.

“Ah, of course not. Good night then.”

“Night, priest.”

William folded his blanket into a pillow and lay down, trusting in his clothing and the banked fire to keep him warm. The floor wasn’t comfortable, but he’d had worse the last few months.

Sleep took him quickly, and he dreamt of warm light on angular features.

**Author's Note:**

> OK the lack of fic for this scene is bloody well criminal (Am I the _only one_ who saw what they did with Anthony's makeup when he came back?), so I wrote the fic I want to see in the world. IMO this is the scene where William first starts to trust Erasmus. They aren't pining yet, but their conifer days are coming fast...
> 
> Also I'm fairly sure it's the first appearance of the Generic Inn Room, which needs to be commemorated!


End file.
